Frequently Asked Questions

Minimum School Program (MSP)

1. Where can I find copies of the Allotment Memos?

• 2019-2020 Allotment Memos
  Archived Allotment Memos can be obtained by contacting the department directly.

2. There is an error on my Allotment Memo. How can I get it fixed?

• If there is an error on your Allotment Memo, please contact the department directly.

Contact

Dale Frost
Minimum School Program Administrator and Fiscal Policy Analyst
Phone: (801) 538-7606 |  E-mail

Pupil Accounting

1. Educator Data and Statistics

• Where can I find teacher salary data, the number of educators in Utah, and Student/Teacher ratios?
  • Educator data and statistics can be found on the Data and Statistics website in the “Superintendent’s Annual Report”.
    
    
• Does the Utah State Board of Education collect teacher salary schedules?
  • Utah State Board of Education does not collect teacher salary schedules, but they are published on  Utah Education Association (UEA).
    
    
• How does Utah compare to the nation regarding educator data?
  • National comparisons can be found at  National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) website.

2. Funding for Educators

• Why is it important for school districts and charter schools to maintain current educator files in the Comprehensive Administration of Credentials for Teachers in Utah Schools (CACTUS) database?
  
  • CACTUS is the database used to generate educator counts to fund such programs as the Professional Staff Cost Formula, Classroom Supplies and Materials, and Educator Salary Adjustments.
    
    
• When should school districts and charter schools update their educator files in CACTUS?
  • CACTUS files should be regularly maintained and kept up-to-date. Some important dates to remember for funding purposes are November 15 and June 29.
    
    
• Who do I contact if I have questions about the Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) for math and science teachers?
  • Please send an e-mail with your questions to Teaching and Learning Program Specialist, Jane Conway at  jane.conway@schools.utah.gov.
    
    
• Where can I learn more about the Professional Staff Cost Formula?
  • Information about the Professional Staff Cost Formula can be found in Utah State Legislature  Title 53A-17a-107: Professional Staff Weighted Pupil Units and in the Utah Office of Administrative Rules   R277-486: Professional Staff Cost Program.
    
    
• Where can I learn more about the Educator Salary Adjustments allocation?
  • Utah Office of Administrative Rules   R277-110: Educator Salary Adjustment gives direction on how the Educator Salary Adjustments allocation is distributed.
    
    
• Where can I learn more about the Classroom Supplies and Materials allocation?
  • Utah Office of Administrative Rules  R277-459: Teacher Supplies and Materials Appropriation gives direction on how the Classroom Supplies and Materials allocation is distributed and should be spent.
    
    
• How much money do teachers receive for Classroom Supplies and Materials?
  • The most current per teacher distribution amounts can be reviewed in the following document:
    •  Minimum School Program (MSP) Teacher Supplies and Materials
      Utah State Legislature
  • A teacher on salary schedule steps one through three teaching in grades kindergarten through six or preschool handicapped - $250;
  • A teacher on salary schedule steps one through three teaching in grades seven through twelve - $200;
  • A teacher on salary schedule step four or higher teaching in grades kindergarten through six or preschool handicapped - $175; and
  • A teacher on salary schedule step four or higher teaching in grades seven through twelve - $150.

3. Immunization

• Why does the Utah State Board of Education care about school immunization records when the  Utah Department of Health (UDOH) is the regulatory authority for this data?
  
  • Regulatory authority over the collection of immunization data rests with the UDOH, Utah Office of Administrative Rules  R396-100: Immunization Rule for Students, and any audit of immunization data will be conducted at the discretion of UDOH.
  • LEA’s may not receive weighted pupil unit (WPU) money for a student unless the student has obtained a certificate of immunization, or qualifies for conditional enrollment or exemption from immunization.

4. Necessarily Existent Small Schools (NESS)

• How do I know if a school is eligible to receive additional funding because of its small size?
  • A small school may be approved for the NESS program and receive additional funding when a school district can demonstrate the school meets the criteria specified in the Utah State Legislature  Title 53F-2-304: Necessarily Existent Small Schools. Computing Additional Weighted Pupil Units. Consolidation of Small Schools. and the Utah Office of Administrative Rules  R277-445: Classifying Small Schools as Necessarily Existent. Briefly, the criteria are as follows:
    • Small Size: Average Daily Membership (ADM) does not exceed the following maximum levels:
    • An elementary school - 160;
    • A one or two-year secondary school - 300;
    • A three-year secondary school - 450;
    • A four-year secondary school - 500; and
    • A six-year secondary school - 600;
  • Additionally, one of the following criteria must also be met:
    • One-way travel from the school to the nearest school of the same type within the school district exceeds transportation time thresholds outlined in R277-445-3(2); or
    • The State Superintendent approves the school for the NESS program because:
      • The district has been consolidated to the maximum extent possible; or
      • The school’s projected ADM within 3 years exceeds NESS program ADM thresholds; or
        Further consolidation would result in undesirable social, cultural, and/or economic impacts to the community.

Pupil Transportation

1. Who is eligible for school transportation?

 R277-600-4: Eligibility
Utah Office of Administrative Rules

1. State transportation funds shall be used only for transporting eligible students.
2. Transportation eligibility for elementary students (K-6) and secondary students (7-12) is determined in accordance with the mileage from home specified in the Utah State Legislature  Title 53F-2-S403: Eligibility for State-Supported Transportation/Approved Bus Routes to the school attended by assignment of the local board.
3. A student who’s Individual Education Program (IEP) identifies transportation as a necessary service is eligible for transportation regardless of distance from the school attended by assignment of the local board.
4. Students who attend school for at least one-half day at an alternate location are expected to walk distances up to 1 and one half miles.
5. A school district that implements double sessions as an alternative to new building construction may transport, one-way to or from school, with Board approval, affected elementary students residing less than one and one-half miles from school, if the local board determines the transportation would improve safety affected by darkness or other hazardous conditions.
6. The distance from home to school is determined as follows: From the center of the public route (road, thoroughfare, walkway, or highway) open to public use, opposite the regular entrance of the one where the pupil is living, over the nearest public route (thoroughfare, road, walkway, or highway) open regularly for use by the public, to the center of the public route (thoroughfare, road, walkway, or highway) open to public use, opposite the nearest public entrance to the school grounds which the student is attending.

 R277-600-5: Student with Disabilities Transportation:
Utah Office of Administrative Rules

1. Students with disabilities are transported on regular buses and regular routes whenever possible. School districts may request approval, prior to providing transportation, for reimbursement for transporting students with disabilities who cannot be safely transported on regular school bus runs.
2. School districts may be reimbursed for the costs of transporting or for alternative transportation for students with disabilities whose severity of disability, or combination of disabilities, necessitates special transportation.
3. Transportation is provided by the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) for students who are transported to its self-contained classes. Exceptions may be approved by the Utah State Board of Education.

2. Why Can't the bus go down my street?

 R277-600-6: Bus Route Approval:
Utah Office of Administrative Rules

1. Transportation is over routes proposed by local boards and approved by the Utah State Board of Education. Information requested by the Utah State Board of Education shall be provided prior to approval of a route. A route usually is not approved for reimbursement if an equitable student transportation allowance or a subsistence allowance accomplishes the needed transportation at less cost. A route shall:
   1. traverse the most direct public route;
   2. be reasonably cost effective related to other feasible alternatives;
      provide adequate safety;
   3. traverse roads that are constructed and maintained in a manner that does not cause property damage; and
   4. include an economically adequate number of students.
2. The minimum number of general education students required to establish a route is ten; the minimum number of students with disabilities is five. A route may be established for fewer students upon special permission of the State Superintendent.
3. The school district designates safe areas for bus stops.
   1. To promote efficiency, the Utah State Board of Education approved minimum distance between bus stops is 3/10 of a mile. The Utah State Board of Education may approve shorter distances between bus stops for student safety.
   2. Bus routes shall avoid, whenever possible, bus stops on dead-end roads.
   3. Students are responsible for their own transportation to bus stops up to one and one-half miles from home.
   4. Special education students are responsible for their own transportation to bus stops consistent with their IEPs.
4. Changes made by school districts in existing routes or the addition of new routes shall be reported to Utah State Board of Education as they occur. The Utah State Board of Education shall review and may refuse to fund route changes as applicable.
5. Transporting eligible students home after school activities held at the students' school of regular attendance and within a reasonable time period after the close of the regular school day is approved route mileage.
6. A route may be approved as an alternative to building construction upon special permission of the Utah State Board of Education if the route is needed to allow more efficient school district use of school facilities. Building construction alternatives include elementary double sessions, year-round school, and attendance across school district boundaries.
7. School districts may use State Guarantee Transportation Levy or local transportation funds to transport students across state lines or out-of-state for school sponsored activities or required field trips if:
   1. the local board has a policy that includes approval of trips at the appropriate administrative level;
   2. the school or school district has considered the purpose of the trip or activity and any competing risk or liability;
   3. given the distance, purpose and length of the trip, the school district has determined that the use of a publicly owned school bus is most appropriate for the trip or activity; and
   4. the local board has consulted with State Risk Management.
8. If school bus routes transport students across Utah state lines or outside of Utah for required to and from routes, routes are reimbursable providing school districts maintain documentation that the routes are necessary, or are more cost-effective, or provide greater safety for students than in-state routes.

Specific Information Contacts

Please contact Ron Litchfield at (801) 538-7577 or via e-mail at  ron.litchfield@schools.utah.gov.

Reporting

1. What is the Annual Financial Report (AFR)?

• It is a required report for all Utah Local Education Agencies (LEA's) which is prepared on the modified accrual basis detailing revenues and expenditures and giving a balance sheet organized by Fund, Function and Object. Utah follows the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) account code and definitions.

2. What is the Annual Program Report (APR)?

• It is a required report for all Utah Local Education Agencies (LEA's) and is organized by Program and Object.

3. Where can I get a listing of required reports?

• The report listing is found in the Utah Administrative Rule  R277-484-3: Deadlines for Data Submission in the Utah State Board of Education rules. There is a listing of submitted reports and their status on the recent Report Submission Tracking.

4. If I have questions concerning school accounting, who can help me?

• For questions concerning school accounting, please contact John Palmer at (801) 538-7623 or via e-mail at john.palmer@schools.utah.gov. 

5. If I represent a new charter school in our planning year do I still need to file an AFR or APR when we don't have students?

• Yes. There are alternative reports to replace your statutorily required audit reports based upon the level of expenditures but your AFR and APR still need to be submitted.

6. Do I need to submit my budget to Utah State Board of Education?

• Yes. Currently, the code still requires the budget be submitted to both the Utah State Board of Education and the State Auditors' office. Most District budgets need to be submitted by July 15, those where a Truth-In-Taxation hearing is involved are due August 15. Charter schools must submit their budget within 30 days of approval from their board; board approval must be before June 22 for all budgets, unless otherwise stated.